Karl Radek

Where the S.R.’s Got
Their Money

(30 August 1922)

From International Press Correspondence, Vol. 2 No. 74, 30 August 1922, pp. 548–549.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Marxists’ Internet Archive.Public Domain: Marxists Internet Archive (2020). You may freely copy, distribute, display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet Archive” as your source.

In the statements recently published by the foreign Delegation of the S.R.’s, and by Kerensky and Brushvit representing the Administrative Center, they swear themselves black and blue that no money was ever received by them from the Allies.

Brushvit and Kerensky were indeed very careful in their statements. They declared that they did in fact receive moneys, in that these moneys were “of Russian origin”. This should read:

“You have published Zenzinov’s letter about Ins dealings with Benesh. What of it? This fact only says that it was from Benesh that we received the money. This money, however, did not come from the Czevho-Slovakian Government. This was the money that Kerensky had taken out of Russia, or which the Czecho-Slovakians took with them from Russia. Hence, even if we did receive money from Benesh, it was Russian money.”

Such is the sense of Kerensky’s statement. But Kerensky is lying. He does not seem to be aware that the following document, a photographic copy of which we liereby print is in our hands.

Translation

Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Political and Commercial Department

Mr. President,

In reference to your request for a money advance, I am informed by Mr. Berthelot, with whom you have already discussed this matter, that the President of the Council deeply regrets not to be able to advance such a large sum, for the manner in which the French budget is voted does not permit a large sum to be expended for a definite item, without the previous sanction of Parliament. Moreover, I believe that the General Secretary will answer you directly on the various questions which you have addressed to him.

Permit me, Sir, to assure you of my highest esteem and sincerest respect.

(Signature illegible)

What is the meaning of this document, addressed to Avksentiev, the dearest comrade of Kerensky in the Administrative Center, the man from whom the Administrative Center received 500,000 francs in cash, between February and June 1921?

This document proves: firstly, that Avksentiev had already received various sums of money from the French Foreign Office, for otherwise, he would not write as if the request were a matter of course. Secondly, this document proves that in June 1921, Avksentiev asked the French Government for a large sum of money. Thirdly, this document shows that the sum in question was to come from French pockets (not only through French hands ...) for otherwise it would not have been necessary for this money to be drawn from the French budget. Such are the contents of this document which was found in the archives of the Administrative Center.

Let the whole world see this document, which is nothing less than the prostitution certificate of Messrs. Avksentiev and Kerensky, Tchernov and Zenzinov.

From now on the Social Revolutionary Party is branded as the courtesan of French imperialism. And no denial will help them anymore. We congratulate the Internationals 2 and 2½ upon this document, and we advise them to attach the photograph of this document to every membership card of the new United International. We propose as honorary chairmen of the unity congress of the two highly esteemed Internationals, – Kerensky and Avksentiev, Tchernov and Zenzinov.